Welcome Home
by teanc09
Summary: Mac is taking on a new project.
1. Chapter 1

Will was standing just outside the gate area of JFK's Terminal Four very early on a Saturday morning. He was waiting with Lonny for Mac's plane to arrive and for her to make her way through customs. He thought back to just over a week ago….

Will was sitting at his desk working when Mac stuck her head in his doorway.

"Will," she said getting his attention.

"Hey," he said and stopped working. "What's up?"

"Charlie wants to see us."

He got up and walked to her and placed his hand on her back and together they walked to the elevator. When it arrived they were alone on the car. He gently kissed her and pulled back. Her thumb was on his lip, removing any trace of lipstick.

"Do we know why he wants to see us?"

"No, sorry."

Charlie's secretary wasn't at her desk. Will knocked on his door and heard Charlie say, "come in."

"You wanted to see us," Mac said as they sat in front of Charlie's desk.

"I did. Will, a few months ago I asked Mac to work on a program for new news producers. Basically a best practices type of program that gives them tools and exposure to the elite and how they produce."

"How long is the program?"

"The first meeting is a week. After that time period the attendees go back and work on projects and they come back together a few months later," Mac explained.

"I have the first group I want to you take through the program," Charlie said.

"Really," she exclaimed. "I can't wait."

Will was smiling at her enthusiasm.

"You are going to have a group of ten producers and this first group is going to meet in London."

"London," Will asked.

Mac was watching Will's reaction.

"Yes, in London. You'll be at The Savoy," Charlie said. "Jim will produce for you, Will. It will be good for him."

"Are you okay with that," Mac asked Will.

"Yes. I'd rather be in London with you."

"Sorry," she said taking his hand. Charlie smiled at them.

"You've got some lucky new producers," he said smiling at her.

"Thanks. When is this to take place?"

"You're on a plane tomorrow night."

"Charlie," she almost yelled. "I'm not prepped, I don't have anyone lined up, I've got to pack, Charlie," she said when she saw him smiling.

"You're ready, Mac. As for experts, I've gotten you a few lined up. I know this is short notice but you can do this, I know you can."

"Thanks. What time is my flight and who am I flying?"

"You're leaving JFK just after 7pm on Virgin and you arrive at Heathrow at 7:30."

"Will I have to teach that day?"

"No, you'll have a meet and greet with the producers late that afternoon, and dinner but that's it and the following day the classes start."

"Okay. What about materials and video equipment," she asked.

Charlie smiled at her. He knew springing this on her would get him all these questions.

"The hotel will be providing the equipment. They have Apple TVs so you can run everything from your Macbook, it will be just like in the conference room downstairs. Millie is coordinating the printing of manuals and handouts and is having those shipped overnight to the hotel. All I need you to do is to make sure Jim is ready here and for you to pack."

"I can do that, thanks," she said.

"Go talk to Jim and give Will and I a minute, okay?"

"Thanks, Charlie," she said and walked out of the office.

"You enjoyed that," Will said smiling at Charlie.

"It's not often that I can rattle her."

"She'll be good at this," he said thinking about Mac teaching young producers.

"She will. Are you going to be all right with Jim?"

Will thought about the question and said, "We'll be fine. He will need more input than Mac but he's more than capable. She taught him, so we'll be fine."

"Good. Go make sure Mac's not panicking."

Will went back downstairs and straight to Mac's office. She was making lists of things to do. She had several note pads out; each one had a different name at the top. His note pad had the most notes.

He smiled at her and sat down, "are you all right?"

"I will be, I've got lots to do and not enough time."

"May I do anything for you, help in any way," he offered.

She smiled at him. "You can do one huge thing for me," she said getting up. "Stand up." He complied and she hugged him and remained pressed against him. He kissed her temple and held her tightly for a few minutes. When she pulled back she said, "that was exactly what I needed. I love you," she said and kissed him gently.

"I love you, too, Mac. If you need anything, let me know, all right?"

"I will. Do you want to be there when I talk to Jim?"

"Yes, please. Get back to your lists, I'm going to grab us some lunch and we'll figure everything out, okay?"

"Perfect, thank you."

Will found Lonny and walked to the deli to get them some lunch.

When Will returned Mac was still making lists but at least now there were some items that had been crossed off the note pads.

"I know you're busy but please remember to eat," he said and sat her sandwich down on her desk and left her to note pads.

She put down her pen and grabbed her sandwich. She wasn't going to be able to see him for at least a week and she needed to spend some time with him, for both of them.

She stuck her head in his office and said, "may I join you?"

He smiled at her and said, "please."

She pulled one of the chairs from his table up to his desk and ate across from him. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Mac."

She smiled and said, "no, it's not. I always have time to spend with you. I will have over seven hours on a flight tomorrow to work on any last minute items. We need to talk about Jim and what you want and need from him. And we need some time to just be together. I'm going to miss you."

"You are going to do an amazing workshop and teach new producers how to be better. I do wish I could be there with you."

"Maybe Charlie will let us do the next workshop together. It's worth asking."

"I'd like that," he said.

They finished up their lunch and called Jim into Will's office.

Mac and Will were sitting at his table when Jim arrived. "Have a seat," Will said.

"What's up?"

"Starting tomorrow and for all of next week you are going to be executive producing News Night," Mac said. She could see the questions coming and smiled. "I'm going to be teaching a workshop in London and I'm leaving tomorrow. You and I are going to be working close for the rest of today and most of tomorrow getting you prepped, okay?"

"What ever you need," he replied. "Are you okay with this," he asked Will.

Will smiled at him. "You'll be fine. Mac trained you for this, trust your instincts and I'll be right there if you need anything."

"Thanks," he said getting up and leaving Will's office.

The rest of the afternoon passed quickly. Mac and Jim were hold up in her office going over everything that she needed Jim to be able to do for both her and Will over the next week or so.

After the show Lonny took Mac and Will to the brownstone.

"Where is your largest suitcase," he asked.

"On the second floor, in the closet of the first bedroom. Will you bring it upstairs, please?"

He nodded and started up the stairs. He turned when he heard her say, "do you want a beer?"

"Please."

She grabbed them both beers and met him in the master bedroom. He had placed the suitcase on the bed.

"Thank you," she said and handed him his beer.

"No problem. Can I pack anything? Do anything?" She knew he was feeling helpless and not sure what to do.

"You can keep me company. Here's something…you can check my computer for clips and make sure they all play."

"Okay," he said, booting her MacBook Pro. On her desktop was a picture of a very cute puppy.

"Who is this," he asked, turning the screen so she could see what he was asking about.

"Isn't she cute? That is Maggie. She is a goldendoodle puppy."

"A what?"

"She's half English stock golden retriever and half poodle."

"Maggie…she's not named after anyone is she?"

"Not that Sir David will admit to, or at least admit to me," she replied smiling.

"Are you going to be able to see them while you're there?"

"My father is picking me up and we're going to the Oxford house and later in the day he'll take me into London. We'll be having dinner a couple of times in London but I think that's all I'll get to see them."

"Please tell your parents I said hello."

She smiled. "I will."

"Is it this folder on the desktop," he asked.

She moved to see what he was about to click on and she was about to say no when he clicked. "Look at me," she said.

He lifted his head and looked at her. "That's not the folder and the one you clicked on has videos of me in Islamabad. I don't think you want to watch those. They are unedited and full length."

She was trying to tell him the videos were of her being stabbed.

"Have I seen them?" He knew exactly what she meant.

"If anything you're seen the edited version."

"Mac," he said looking up at her.

"I will watch them with you, but I don't think you need to see them. They are going to upset you."

"I need to see what really happened and to understand."

"Okay, scoot over." She sat in front of him and leaned back against his chest. His hands came around her and held her tightly.

When the video started it was of her and Jim standing at the edge of a protest, getting footage. "Who took this?"

"Another producer that was with us. We often shot double in case we had footage confiscated."

All of a sudden the video changed and the crowd was surging toward Mac and Jim. Will's arms tightened around her. She took his hand in hers. The cameraman got a close up of the man coming toward her, he yelled something in Arabic and shoved a knife into her. Mac fell to the ground and was bleeding heavily. She was screaming in pain. Jim was trying to help and finally the police came and put Mac into a makeshift ambulance. The last of the audio was Mac screaming Will's name.

Mac stopped the clip from playing again, closed the lid and pushed the computer away from her.

She turned to look at Will who was ashen. "Are you all right," she asked as he flew off the bed and into the bathroom. He threw up and collapsed against the side of the toilet. She grabbed a washcloth and ran cool water over the cloth. She was on the floor next to him wiping his face. "Just breathe." He had tears in his eyes and his hand was shaking.

"Mac," he whispered.

"It's all right. I shouldn't have let you watch that, I'm sorry."

He pulled her to himself and held her close. She could tell he was crying and all she could do was to hold him. Nothing she could say would make him feel any better right now. He was still reacting to the video.

She leaned back enough so she could look at him and said, "I love you, I'm right here and I'm fine."

He nodded and pulled her head back to his shoulder. After holding her a few minutes he pulled back and she could see he was doing better.

"Want to go sit in front of the fire with me?"

"You need to pack."

"I can pack later. I need to make sure you're okay. Come sit with me," she said getting up and held her hand out for him.

He took her hand and she led them downstairs. She turned on the fireplace and sat on the floor in front of it with Will.

"I shouldn't have let you watch that, I'm sorry," she said.

"I needed to see it," he replied looking at her. "I needed to know what really happened not the watered down edited version. I should have realized there was more."

"Are you all right?"

"I will be."

"Will you stay here, tonight, with me?"

"Sure. Is there food here, yet?"

"No, sorry. You're going to have to have take away. What are you hungry for tonight?"

"How about I go get us some food and you work on your packing."

"Okay. Pizza okay?"

"Sounds great. Where do you want pizza from, the place down the block?"

"No, I usually order from Jake's, over a few blocks. It will come to us, you don't have to go out."

"I need some air, Mac."

"Okay. Call Lonny and I'll get packed," she said getting up off the floor. He followed her up and kissed her before she went back upstairs.

Fortunately, Lonny was still close by as he wasn't sure if Will was spending the night, or not. Lonny wasn't thrilled with the idea of walking to the pizza place, but he could tell that Will needed some air.

While they were gone Mac was able to finish packing and had her computer downstairs going over the video clips for her workshop along with the manual that Millie had sent to her late in the day. She had been able to get in touch with the experts that Charlie lined up and everything seemed to be falling into place. She hated to be caught unprepared and she knew Charlie enjoyed springing this workshop on her. He liked to rattle her when he could and if she was honest with herself she enjoyed the challenge. News Night was home but it sometimes got tedious and predictable. The rush she got from when Will said to throw out the rundown was only rivaled by the orgasms he gave her.

She heard his key in the door and looked up to see him come in with their dinner. "Hi."

"Hey, Mac," he said leaning down to kiss her. "Ready for dinner?"

"I am, thanks. Do you want to eat down here or in bed?"

"How about in front of the fire," he suggested.

"Perfect. What do you want to drink, beer or wine?"

"Beer, please."

She grabbed them each a beer, plates and napkins. He looked lost in thought when she came back out to the living room.

"What are you thinking about," she asked.

"How much I'm going to miss you."

"I'm going to miss you, too. Did your walk help?"

He nodded. "Good," she replied and put pizza on both of their plates.

"Did you finish packing?"

"All done and I've checked the video files and the manual, it's all good to go."

They finished their dinner and were lying on the couch watching the fire, being quiet, together. He kissed her neck and pulled her tight against himself. "I love you, Mac."

She turned her head and kissed him and then said, "I love you, too, Billy. What are you worried about?"

"Are you happy at News Night?"

She sat up quickly and faced him. She placed her hands on his cheeks. "Listen, I am exactly where I want to be and am doing what I want to do, what I've always wanted to do. I can't imagine doing anything else and I can't imagine doing it with anyone else. You are my partner and I couldn't even wish for a more involved or perfect partner, in every sense of the word. Am I excited about this workshop? Certainly and it will be even better if we can do it together. I will be asking Charlie about bringing you in as part of the program. Trust that I love you and that I am exactly where I want to be and that I love you with all my heart." She leaned down and kissed him.

"I just needed to be sure."

She smiled at him. "I know. Want to go upstairs?"

He nodded and she stood, holding out her hand. She led them upstairs. He sat on the edge of the bed with her standing between his legs. He unbuttoned her top and pushed it off her shoulders. He kissed her scar and looked up at her. "We are very lucky, sweetheart."

Her hands were in his hair. "We are," she said. He hugged her and held her against himself.

She knew he was still thinking about the video of her attack. She needed to get his focus onto something else, at least for a little while. She eased back and leaned down to kiss him. Not the gentle kisses of earlier, but a deeply passionate kiss. He scooted back on the bed, pulling her with him. They lay on the bed, her half dressed, making out.

He turned them over so he was now on top and when he rested against her she could feel his arousal. She arched her hips into him and made him moan.

"Mac," he whispered, kissing down her neck and playing with her breast. He managed to remove her bra and began licking and playfully biting her nipples.

She pulled his shirt out of his pants and over his head, not bothering with the buttons.

He unbuttoned her pants and pulled the zipper down so he could slip his hand inside, touching her over her underwear, feeling her arousal. "Billy, please," she moaned.

He removed his hand and pulled her pants off, along with her underwear. He quickly took his pants and boxers off and tossed them off the bed. He could feel how wet she was when he rested against her. He held them still, silently looking at one another, and then he pushed inside of her. Again, holding himself still, resting on his elbows, he tucked some hair behind her ears. "I love you so much, Mackenzie. I don't know how I'm going to make it a week without seeing you, or touching you, kissing you," he said and gently kissed her.

"I love you, too, Billy. It won't be the same but we'll talk and text and I'll show you how to Skype and before you know it I'll be back home and in your arms, kissing you and making love to you."

They didn't talk any more. They made love slowly and quietly, making sure the other knew how much they were loved.

The next day Lonny picked them up, along with Mac's luggage, as he would be driving them to the airport later. Their day was full of meetings and Mac was going over last minute things with Jim. They did manage to steal a few minutes for Mac to show Will how to Skype. She made sure both of their cell phones were able to work internationally and then it was time for them to leave for the airport.

Mac said goodbye to everyone and finally came to Will's door. "We've got to go."

He grabbed his coat and they met Lonny in the lobby, who had the SUV right outside. Mac and Will took the backseat, holding hands the entire ride to JFK. Lonny was quiet, giving them their privacy and time together. When they pulled up to the airport Lonny got out and got Mac a cart for her luggage and loaded it for her.

Mac leaned over and kissed Will. "I love you and I will talk to you very soon. If you need anything, call, I don't care what time it is here or in London, do you understand?"

He nodded. "I love you, so much. You're going to do great. Have a good flight and I'll talk to you after you land." He kissed her one more time and she got out of the SUV.

"Thank you," she said to Lonny.

"You're welcome. Safe flight."

Will watched her walk into the airport and then Lonny drove them back to the studio.


	2. Chapter 2

Mac had checked in and made her way through security and to the Virgin Clubhouse. She was sitting on the red ball sofa being served a red wine by one of the very attentive waiters. She pulled out her phone and called Charlie.

"Are you at JFK," he asked.

"I'm in the Virgin Clubhouse enjoying a very nice red wine."

"How was he?"

"He was okay. I want to include him for the next round of the workshops."

"I think he would lend a unique perspective and it would be beneficial. We might be able to do a video conference with him next week, if you'd like."

"I think that would be great, thank you, Charlie."

"You're welcome. Have a safe flight and let me know how it's going."

"You'll check on him, please."

"I promise."

"Thanks, Charlie," she said and disconnected the call.

Mac read over her manual and waited for her flight to be called. When the upper class was invited to board she made her way to the gate. She waited for the others in line ahead of her to board and she finally made it to her seat a few minutes later. She wanted to get settled and be able to work for a while before she slept for a few hours.

Mac worked and ate dinner. When she finally felt ready enough for her workshop she pulled out a magazine she purchased in the terminal and began reading. Fortunately there wasn't anyone sitting close by her, so she was able to spread out some. Shortly after she began reading the magazine she felt her eyes get heavy. Sleep was not very far off. Flying Upper Class meant that her seat folded out to a bed and that she was actually able to get some good sleep on the flight.

Her father was waiting on her when the flight landed. He welcomed her with a big hug and kisses for his only child. They gathered her luggage and he placed her things in the back of the Range Rover.

"Are you hungry, Bug," her father asked.

"A little, I couldn't eat a full breakfast, but maybe some tea and fruit."

Her father drove through a drive through and ordered her a tea and the fruit she wanted for breakfast.

"Thank you," she said taking her breakfast.

"Are you tired," he asked.

"Not bad."

"Good. Maggie could use a new playmate for a bit of exercise."

"I can't wait to meet her."

They spent the drive to the Oxford house chatting and catching up. Mac said hello to her mother and then her father took her to meet Maggie.

Maggie was out in the back garden. David called her and she came bounding up to him and then she saw Mac and started to bark at her. Mac held out her hand and let Maggie sniff. Maggie decided that Mac was okay and she went to grab her toy and brought it to Mac. David was watching Mac play with Maggie and was recording the fun Mac and Maggie were having. Mac was throwing Maggie's toy and she would run and grab it and come bounding back, almost knocking Mac down with her enthusiasm. Mac was laughing and having a great time.

Mac's mother called them all inside for an early lunch. Maggie went to her bed and lay quietly while Mac and her parents chatted about their plans for the week and where they wanted to eat.

After lunch David sent Mac the video of her playing with Maggie, which she forwarded onto Will. She went out to the garden with Maggie and sat on a bench to call Will.

He sounded sleepy when he said, "hello."

"Good morning."

"Mac. How are you? Where are you?"

"I'm sitting in the garden of the Oxford house with Maggie. How are you?"

"I miss you. I miss waking up with you."

"I miss you, too. How was the show? Was Jim all right?"

"He was nervous but fine. The show went fine, nothing memorable. Was your flight all right?"

"How bad can upper class Virgin be," she asked laughing.

"True."

"Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"No, I've got some shopping to go do, so I should get up."

"What are you shopping for," she asked.

"A surprise," he teased.

"Billy, that's not nice," she pouted.

"I do have a confession to make."

"What's that?"

"I stayed at the brownstone last night."

"That's okay, I like having you there."

He didn't respond and she said, "tell me, it's okay." She knew he was rubbing his face, not wanting to say something.

"I went home and I couldn't sleep because the bed didn't smell like you. So I called Lonny and he brought me over here, and I could sleep."

"I love you, so very much. Thank you for telling me that."

"I love you, Mac."

"I've got to go, we're about ready to leave for London. I want to get checked in and settled before I meet the group for drinks and dinner. I did talk to Charlie while I was in the Clubhouse at JFK. He thinks you'd offer a unique perspective to the new producers and he wants you involved. If we can work it out we'll do a video conference with you and the producers next week. We've just got to figure out the timing and schedule."

"That's great. I'd love to do a video conference and be involved with this group."

"Thank you."

"Call me before you go to bed, please."

"I will. Will," she started.

"Yes."

"You can stay. I love you being there, whether I'm there or not. There's plenty of drawer space if you want to leave some things there, no pressure, Billy."

"Really, you wouldn't mind?"

"Not at all."

"Thank you, Mackenzie."

"I love you. I'll talk to you later."

"I love you, so much. Bye."

Maggie licked her face and made her laugh. She cuddled the puppy and then walked back into the house.

Will got up and thought about Mac's offer to leave some things here. He'd go to his apartment and bring a few things over after he finished his shopping. He opened his MacBook and checked his email as the coffee was brewing. He saw the email from Mac and opened the attachment. He couldn't help but smile at her playing with Maggie. She looked so happy. An idea was forming.

Her father drove Mac to London and he helped her unload her baggage and get it up to her room.

She unpacked a few items and went into the bathroom to take a shower. She took a long, hot shower in preparation for meeting the attendees of her workshop. When she was ready she went down to the American Bar. She saw a few people gathered in one corner and she approached them. "Good evening," she said.

All of the group members replied with, "good evening."

"Are you all with ACN?"

One of the men said, "yes."

"I'm Mackenzie McHale," she said holding her hand out to meet each of them. When their waiter approached she ordered a martini.

One of the women asked if anyone knew how many people they were expecting. Mac answered, "three more. Where are you all from?"

The group turned out to be all from Western Europe. "Do you know who is leading the workshop," one of the group asked.

"I am," Mac said. The group all got quiet. They had assumed that Mac was an attendee and not the leader. "No, relax, everyone listen. I am teaching this workshop, but tonight is for us to get to know one another."

Will was in Sur la Table with Lonny. This was part of Mac's surprise. He was purchasing items that he knew her kitchen lacked. While he was making coffee he noticed how unorganized the kitchen actually was and he knew he had to organize and from there, he found what he needed to purchase. They already spent a lot of time at the brownstone and now that she had offered to let him leave items he knew he would be spending even more time there.

He loved cooking for her; it was one of his favorite things. He had to have tools and he loved Mac with all of his heart but she in no way was able to stock a kitchen. That was what brought him to Sur la Table. He was basically redoing her kitchen supplies. He purchased items that matched what he had in his apartment in most cases, sometimes upgrading to a newer model, but essentially the kitchens would match. No matter what he wanted to cook he would be able to do so easily, at either location.

Will paid for the items and he and Lonny loaded them into the SUV. When Lonny got them back to the brownstone he parked in Mac's driveway and they unloaded. Will had Lonny put all the new items in the living room while he cleaned out the kitchen and organized. Will explained that he was in for the day and that he would not be going out.

It took several hours to unload all of the drawers and cabinets. Then he cleaned all of the new items and put them away along with the items he took out to organize. Mac was going to think he was out of his mind. Then she would try to pay for all of the new items. There was no way he would be letting her pay for any of this.

When he'd finished he took his computer and a beer to the roof to work on the next part of the surprise.

He was sitting on one of the deck chairs at a small table. Fortunately the wi-fi signal was strong enough for him to be able to connect to the Internet even on the roof. Knowing Mac, she'd done that on purpose.

His phone rang and he smiled. "Hey Mac."

"Billy."

She sounded relaxed. "What's up sweetheart?"

"I miss you."

"Me, too. You're only there for another week and then you'll be home. I talked to Charlie today. We're going to try for Wednesday afternoon, your time, for our conference. Charlie was going to send you the specifics."

"That's great. I meet the group tonight."

"How'd that go?"

"I freaked them out. They didn't know who I was and they assumed I was someone attending the workshop and when I explained that I was leading they all got quiet."

"How was dinner? Did they recover and get to know one another?"

She smiled. He knew how important the teamwork aspect of producing really was and especially among new producers who need extra help. "They did recover and we had a nice dinner at the Savoy Grill."

"Any observations yet?"

"Beginnings, but nothing solid yet. How was your day?"

"It was good. Got some shopping done and I loved the video of you and Maggie. She's really cute."

"She's amazing. I don't know what it is but just being around her relaxes me."

He smiled at her. "Are you ready for bed?"

"I'm dressed for bed, but I'm not sure I should sleep yet. I don't want to wake up in the middle of the night and not be able to sleep again."

"Did you sleep on the plane?"

"A few hours, I think."

He knew if she'd just let herself relax she'd fall asleep and stay that way until her alarm sounded. "Are you in bed?"

"Yes."

"Under the covers?"

He heard sheets ruffle. "I am now."

"Good. I want you to close your eyes and think about lying in bed with me cuddled up behind you, holding you close."

"Nice."

"I know you don't think you'll sleep but you will sweetheart. Are you sleeping in something of mine that hasn't been washed?"

She smiled. "Yes."

"Smell me around you. Are you almost asleep?"

"Mmmm."

"Mac, disconnect and fall asleep. I love you."

"Love you," she said and ended the call.

He was smiling to himself. He had some research to do and he needed to order some dinner. He wasn't going to cook for the first time in the kitchen without Mac. He'd cook for them when she got home, a week from today."

On Sunday Will made a shopping list and went to Dean and Deluca. Today he was stocking food items, spices and the like. Lonny picked him up at eight in hopes of avoiding the crowds. They were successful. They were the only ones in the market other than the staff. Lonny was pushing the cart while Will walked up and down each aisle stocking the kitchen. He made sure to get items she liked along with anything that he would need for cooking.

The same process as yesterday. Lonny left the new items in the living room and Will organized and put away. Before they left the market he made sure to grab food for lunch and dinner. He didn't want to go back out and he was expecting some phone calls.

Mac was having a great day with her group. They had all talked about their backgrounds and explained where and what they were doing for ACN. They'd broken into smaller groups and worked on some team building exercises and they had their first expert speaker. Her students were attentive and curious. One person was standing out in her mind, a young man who was currently based in London, about mid-twenties and very, very green. He reminded her of Jim when she first met him.

At the end of their first day they were all exhausted. Mac was ready to go on for hours yet. She explained how they would learn to live on very little sleep at times.

When her students had gone back to their rooms she called Will, but got his voicemail. A few hours later he returned her call but got her voicemail. He decided to email her and then closed his computer up for the night. He spent a long time that night on the roof, playing one of his guitars, thinking about Mackenzie.

Monday came and Will was back at work. Jim was not as good as Mac but he was getting better all the time. He was going to be a great EP one day. Jim and Will worked together well. They put on a good show.

Mac was only able to text a few times as she had her group out covering stories. She wanted to see how they would approach a story. This information gave her new direction in their workshop. She was able to see their strengths and weaknesses.

Wednesday afternoon rolled around for Will. He was in their conference room. It was five in the afternoon for Mac and her students. The students were on a break while Mac set up the conference. She saw Will appear on the television and he saw her and smiled.

"Hey, Mac."

"Billy. I've missed you."

"Me, too. Where are your students?"

"They are starting to come back in they were on a break so I could get this set up. Can you hear me all right?"

"The audio is good. How's the lag?"

"Not bad. We'll be ready to go in a couple of minutes. Thanks for doing this."

"You're welcome. I'm excited. How are they doing?"

"Good and getting better. They are already getting a bit better, it's fun to watch them realize what they can do."

He saw the students all walk back inside. She saw his persona change into the anchor.

"Everybody have a seat. I have a surprise for you all." Everyone sat and watched the monitor. "Everyone this is Will McAvoy. Will these are my students. They all have their names on a placard in front of them. When we are chatting they will state their name as they are asking questions."

"Great, thanks. How are you enjoying the workshop," he asked them.

There were all positive responses, nodding their heads, smiling and actually stating they were enjoying the workshop.

"Good. You've got a great teacher. Listen to her."

She smiled at him. "Thank you," she said turning toward him. "Does everyone know who Will is and what he does? No Googling."

"Anchor," one student said and then another said, "News Night."

"Very good. Will is the anchor for News Night. He's going to talk a little about how the anchor or reporter works with the producer and answer any questions you might have for him. Will," she said throwing to him.

Will talked for a few minutes and gave the students some insights from the anchor perspective. When he asked for questions several students began at once.

"Hold on," Mac said. "Raise your hands." Will smiled at her remembering when she first came back to New York and how she had her team raising their hands. "Jack, go."

The students all got to ask Will their questions and he answered each of them fully and let their conference run over on time. Mac finally stopped the questioning after everyone had asked at least two questions. Will was very gracious with his time and was very patient with the students.

"I will see all of you tomorrow morning at nine. Have a good evening." They all said good night to both Will and Mac and left the room leaving Mac and Will alone for a few minutes.

"You were very good," she said to him.

"Thanks. That was fun."

"It's even better in person. You're good at this. They learned a lot from you and by you letting them ask questions."

"I enjoyed it. Do you have your eye on someone yet?"

She smiled at him.

"Let me guess, the young idealistic one on the right, Peter, I think was his name."

"He's going to be great one day. He's really green and full of idealism."

"He's in his twenties, he should still be full of idealism. Are you going to ask Charlie to get him to New York?"

"I'm not ready to do that just yet. I want to see how he does on a project I have them doing."

"If he does well?"

"Then I'll ask."

"Where are you going to dinner?"

"Sir David and I are going to a new Indian place he found."

"Catherine isn't going with you?"

"Prior commitment, so just me and Sir David."

"Have fun and please tell him I said hello."

"I will. Thank you again for doing this, it was very good."

"You're welcome. Call me later, please."

"I will. Talk soon. Bye."

After Will said bye she disconnected the conference, gathered her things and went up to her room.


	3. Chapter 3

She changed into what she wanted to wear for dinner and went back to the American Bar to wait on her father.

He didn't keep her waiting long. He hugged her and asked, "ready for dinner, Bug?"

"I'm starving."

"Good, let's go eat."

They had a very nice dinner at an upscale Indian restaurant. The food was fabulous and they had a good chat. "How's Will," David asked.

She smiled and took his hand across their table. "He's well."

"Are you happy, Bug?"

"I am. I love him with all my heart and he loves me. We're there together and it's wonderful. We still disagree on lots and can drive the other mad, but in the end, he's the man I want to be with, long term."

"I'm happy for you. Will is a good man. I wasn't sure you two would get back here, but I'm glad you are."

"Thanks. He really wanted to come to London with me, but he had to stay in New York. He did want me to tell you hello."

"I'll ring him and we'll chat."

"He'd like that," she replied.

Their waiter came to the table and asked if they wanted dessert. They both declined. David saw Mac try to hide a yawn.

"Tired, Bug?"

"A little."

He just looked at her.

"Okay, a lot."

"I'll drive you back to the hotel and head out. Are we going to have dinner on Friday?"

"Please, but it will have to be early. My plane leaves at eight, I think. My workshop will be done at three."

"Your Mom and I will pick you up and we'll have an early dinner and then we'll drop you at the airport. Did you want to eat anywhere specific?"

"No, you choose."

"Okay, I'll make reservations."

David drove Mac to the hotel and kissed her good night. Mac pulled out her cell and dialed Will.

"Hey, sweetheart."

"Hi."

"Are you all right?"

"I miss you, Billy. I'm tired of sleeping by myself when all I want to do is curl up in your arms."

He leaned back in his chair and smiled. "We'll curl up on Saturday and we won't have to leave the brownstone if you don't want to, okay?"

"That sounds perfect. I'm sorry, I'm tired."

"I love you, Mac."

"I love you, too. Show coming together?"

"It is. Why don't you make an early evening of it and relax, go to bed early?"

"I don't remember the last time I was in bed this early. I had to be sick, I'm sure."

"You're running around all day teaching and helping the students, you're entitled to be tired."

"Thanks. I just needed to talk to you."

"Go put your pajamas on and get in bed and call me back and we'll talk until you fall asleep, okay?"

"You don't have to…."

"I want to. I miss you, Mackenzie."

"Okay, give me five minutes and I'll call you back," she said and disconnected.

He was sitting at his desk thinking about Mac and his surprise for her. He hoped she'd like the surprise. He was almost positive that she would.

"I love you, Mac."

"I love you, too."

"Thanks for letting me be a part of the workshop, today."

"You were great. They learned a lot and got a new perspective, that's very beneficial."

They chatted for a few minutes until he heard Mac yawn. "I love hearing your voice, but I miss touching you and being held, feeling you sleep behind me."

"I love sleeping pressed up against you, you feel so good."

"Saturday is for you and me, okay," she said.

"Anything you want. We'll sit by the fire and lay on the couch."

"Sounds lovely. Good night, Billy."

"Good night, sweetheart," he said and ended the call.

The rest of the workshop was a success. She was pleased with their final projects and explained that they would be meeting again in a couple of months to update her on their bigger projects. The students asked if Will was going to be at their next meeting. He had made a huge impression on them. She explained that they were going to try but it depended on scheduling. She thanked them all for their participation and extended an offer for them to contact her if they needed anything.

She felt good about this first group. The workshop, in her opinion, was a success.

Early dinner with her parents went well, but she was ready to be on a plane and back home, back to Will.

Mac was waiting in the gate area to board when her phone rang. "This is Mackenzie."

"You ready to come home," he asked.

"You can't imagine how much," she replied smiling.

"I know how much I want you home," he teased.

"Just a few more hours." She heard the announcement inviting upper class to board. "I'm being invited to board. I'll see you soon. I love you, Will."

"I'll see you soon, gorgeous. I love you," he said and ended the call.

He saw her coming out of the gate area and smiled. Lonny saw her, too, but she hadn't yet seen either of them.

"Hey gorgeous," he said.

She turned and smiled. "Billy," she said and was in his arms. "I missed you," she said into his chest. She pulled back enough to kiss him. When she pulled back her hands were on his face, holding him. "Thanks for coming to pick me up. I had no idea."

He smiled and took her hand, leading her to baggage claim. Lonny was behind them with a cart. Mac said hello to Lonny and thanked him for his help.

Will was keeping Mac very close to him, his arm around her. She had her head resting on his shoulder. "Are you tired? Get any sleep?"

"Not too much sleep, the plane was full so with all the noise I really couldn't just shut down."

"We'll go home and you can rest. We don't have to go out until Monday."

"Perfect."

After they gathered her luggage Lonny loaded the SUV, drove them home and helped bring the luggage inside. Will told him to leave it in the hallway that he'd take it upstairs. They both thanked Lonny and he left, reminding Will to call if he wanted to go out.

"I have a surprise for you," he said. "Sit on the couch," I'll be right back." She did as he asked and he walked back in carrying a goldendoodle puppy.

"Oh my God, Will, that is the cutest puppy," she said as he handed her the puppy, who was licking Mac's face. "You got us a puppy?"

He smiled and nodded his head. She leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you. She's precious. Does she have a name?"

"That's up to you." Will sat back on the couch with Mac against him and the puppy on her chest.

"I'll have to think about that," she said smiling at him.

"Are you tired, do you want to go lie down?"

"I will in a few minutes. I like where I am right now," she said stroking the puppy.

Will was playing with the puppy and letting it chew on his finger. "What do you want to name her," she asked.

"She's been here since yesterday and I haven't come up with anything yet."

"How'd she do overnight?"

"Fine, no problems. She slept with me."

Mac smiled. He wanted everyone to picture him as this tough as nails news anchor.

"She can't do stairs yet very well, so if she's going upstairs she has to be carried. She does okay going to the garden out back."

"Do we have everything for her, beds, toys that kind of thing?"

"There are beds all over the brownstone for her along with water bowls, so wherever she is, she has what she needs. Her only food bowl is in the kitchen."

"Thanks for doing all this, I love it," she said turning to kiss him.

"You're welcome."

"I'm going to take her to potty, right back."

"Want some coffee?"

She smiled at him. "Please."

"Okay, meet me in the kitchen when you're done."

Will started a pot of coffee and was working on something for them to snack on when she came inside. There was a baby gate on the door to the kitchen.

"Push the button at the top and pull toward yourself," he explained. She put the puppy down and closed the gate. She looked around the kitchen and it looked different.

He fixed her a cup of coffee and handed it to her. "Will."

He knew she realized the changes in the kitchen. "Mac," he said smiling at her.

The puppy bit into one of its squeaky toys and caused it to squeak.

Mac got on the floor and played with the puppy. "This is not getting you out of explaining what has happened to the kitchen."

"Are you mad," he asked.

"No, not at all," she said standing up and going over to him. She placed her hand on his arm. "I need you to explain this to me. There's even food in the refrigerator. Have you been here since I left?"

He nodded. "Yes."

"Will the puppy be all right in here by herself for a few minutes?"

"Yes, I've been going in and out and she's been fine."

She took his hand and they each grabbed their coffee and she led them to the couch, putting their coffee on the table in front of them.

"I love you, Billy. I'm not mad at all. The kitchen looks great, it looks used now."

"I've not cooked here yet. I wouldn't do that without you."

She smiled at him and took him into her arms. He was unsure of himself and the changes he'd made in the kitchen.

"The kitchen looks incredible. Thank you for waiting on me to cook."

"You're welcome."

"That's how a kitchen is supposed to look, lived in and used. Are you cooking tonight?"

"If you'd like."

"We need to talk about our living situation," she said pulling back so she could see him. "Nothing bad," she added when she saw his reaction and took his hand in hers.

"Okay."

"Do you miss being at your apartment?"

"No, not really. It's an apartment, that's all."

"You've lived there a long time."

He shrugged his shoulder.

"Do you want to live here," she asked.

He started to say something and stopped.

"You know you can say anything to me and I'm still going to love you, Billy."

"I want to be with you all the time. I love it here, but I don't care whether we live here or at the apartment."

"How about this, wherever we end up for the night is fine, but the three of us are always at home together? Here or the apartment, we're home because we're together."

He was smiling at her. "I like that."

"Does your building allow dogs?"

"Yes. It's not as easy as letting her out the back door, but there is the park not too far away."

"Are you okay with us living in two places?"

"Wouldn't it be easier to just live here," he asked.

"Do you want to live here," she asked him again.

"Yes," he answered this time.

"Then we live here," she said and kissed him.

She laid her head back against the couch, looking at him. "Do you want to try to sleep some," he asked.

"I'm too wound up, I think. A bath would do nicely, though."

"May I join you?"

She smiled. "Please."

"Go on upstairs and I'll get the puppy and meet you in the bathroom. There are baby gates all over, all work the same."

She kissed him and then went upstairs. Will got the puppy and followed her. She was in the bathroom starting their bath. "Do you want bubbles, Will?"

He stuck his head inside the bathroom, "bubbles?"

She smiled at him. "Bubbles."

"Sure," he said and put the sleeping puppy on the bed he had for her in the bathroom.

"Does she have a bed in every room," Mac asked with a smile.

"Not every room."

She laughed. "I love you."

"I love you, too."

He undressed and got in the tub and she followed him in, siting between his legs, resting against his chest.

"I missed you, so much, Mac."

She linked their hands that were resting on her stomach. "I missed you, too. I'm excited that Charlie is going to let us do the next group together. When I was wrapping up this group they asked if you would be at our next meeting in a couple of months. They loved you and letting them ask questions was amazing to them."

"Thanks. What did you decide about Peter?"

"That I need a new assistant. I'm going to ask Charlie to bring him here so I can work with him."

"Was Jim ever that green?"

"He was. I know it's hard to believe now, but he was."

The puppy barking in its sleep interrupted them. They both turned to look at her and smiled.

Mac turned onto her side and lay against Will, her head on his shoulder. "She needs a name."

"Thatcher," Will suggested, "or Windsor."

"After the Royal family, no. I think one Maggie is enough in this family."

She saw him react but she wasn't sure what he was reacting to and she thought back over what she'd said; family.

She sat up and said, "we are family."

"I like that, a lot, actually."

She leaned over to kiss him. "Me, too. But she still needs a name. Kennedy."

"Not bad. Sasha."

They kept suggesting names until Will suggested, "Saffy."

"After the character on Absolutely Fabulous?"

He nodded.

"I like it. I think we've named her."

"Saffy, it is," he said smiling. "We need to get her tags with her name and our contact information. We also have to find a vet for her. Her breeder said she would be needing her next round of shots soon."

"Where did you find her?"

"In Connecticut."

They finished their bath and each dressed in their robe. "Do you want to rest," he asked.

"I'm going to lie down for a little bit. Will you be all right with Saffy?"

"Yes, we're going to go sit in front of the fire." He kissed her and said, "I'm glad you're home."

"Me, too," she said and stood on her toes to kiss him. I won't take a long nap, it will screw up my sleep if I do."

"Come down after your nap and we'll fix lunch and maybe take Saff outside to play."

Mac climbed on the bed and it smelled like Will. She smiled to herself. She was going to enjoy him living with her.


	4. Chapter 4

Will took Saffy downstairs and placed her on her pillow in the living room. He started the fire and grabbed his guitar and began playing quietly.

He was still playing when Mac came downstairs after her nap. She kissed the top of his head and came to sit next to him. "What are you working on," she asked, tucking her feet under herself.

"Just playing, nothing really."

"Has she been out recently?"

"I took her out a few minutes ago."

"What are we going to do with her during the day while we are at work?"

"Day care."

"Excuse me," she said.

"There's a top rated doggie day care facility on the way to the office."

"Day care. For a puppy?"

He was smiling at her. "Yes. We drop her off. She plays all day and we pick her up on the way home."

"Okay. I don't get it, but okay."

"I'll take you by and show you the facility. They have a swimming pool for the dogs that want to swim."

"I'm sure she'll like it there."

"She'll make friends and get to play all day. What's not to like?"

Will placed his guitar on top of a table where Saffy wouldn't be able to reach and then took Mac into his arms. "Did you have a nice nap?"

"I couldn't sleep well and when I fell asleep I was restless."

"I'm sorry."

"It's okay. Are you hungry?"

"I could eat. What do you want for lunch?"

"Grilled cheese and soup."

"That's easy, come on."

Will led her to the kitchen and got the ingredients for her grilled cheese. "Would you like tomatoes?"

"No, thanks." Will fixed their sandwiches, putting tomatoes on his. He opened the pantry and found a can of soup that he emptied into a pan. "So what all did you buy for the kitchen?"

"Things I'll need and food we both like."

"Where's the bill?"

"No bill," he said concentrating on their lunch. He knew this would be an issue.

"Why does this stuff look familiar?"

"I matched this kitchen to the one at the apartment."

"How am I going to pay for this without a bill?"

"You aren't."

"Will."

"Mac."

"Where did you get all this stuff?"

"The kitchen store," he teased.

"William."

"Mackenzie. You aren't paying for any of this. Besides you won't use any of this, I will."

"This discussion isn't over," she said as he placed lunch in front of her.

"Enjoy your lunch."

"This is good," she said tasting the soup.

They heard a bark from the doorway and Saffy was on the other side of the baby gate.

"Hi, Saff," he said opening the gate for her. He bent down and picked her up.

Mac was watching him talk to the puppy. If Charlie could see him now, she thought.

He put the puppy down by its food bowl and added a little kibble to her bowl.

When he looked up she was smiling at him.

"What?"

"You're good with her."

"Thanks."

They finished lunch and took Saffy outside for a little sunshine and playtime outside. They sat on a bench, together, and threw a ball for Saffy to chase. She wasn't yet returning her ball so Will kept getting up to get it so he could throw it for her again. They played hard for about fifteen minutes and Saffy came over to him and jumped up on Will and lay down.

"Somebody is a daddy's girl," she said rubbing Saffy's head.

He smiled at her and she took his hand and led him inside. Will put the puppy on her bed and joined Mac on the sofa. She leaned against him and when he lay down she laid atop him. "I missed you, Billy," she said kissing him

His arms were around her, pulling her against him. She could feel him getting harder and rubbed him through his jeans.

"Fuck, Mac," he said arching his back. His hand came up to her breast and squeezed, his mouth on her nipple through her clothes.

She sat up on him and pulled off her top, taking her bra with the top. He sat up and pulled a nipple into his mouth, sucking hard.

"Yes, Billy," she moaned. His hand was rubbing between her legs, making her squirm on him, which really was creating a very nice friction on his cock. She pulled his shirt up and off of him, breaking his connection to her breast.

He unbuttoned her pants and pushed them part way off of her hips. Quickly she stood up and pulled her pants off. He did the same while lying on the couch.

She was down between his legs, her hand on his cock and her mouth on the tip, sucking on him.

"Damn, Mac, you've got to stop. I'm really close. I need to be in you, please."

She let him pop out of her mouth and she sank on him. "God you feel good."

He began thrusting in and out of her, making her moan. She felt inflamed everywhere he touched her. He was pulling on her nipples when she screamed and began coming. When she came down she opened her eyes and smiled at him. "That felt great. Your turn," she said doubling her pace on his cock.

He flipped them over so that he was on top and began thrusting wildly. She was about to come again from his pace and force.

"Touch me, please," she said.

One flick of his finger had her coming harder than before and triggered his orgasm. "Oh, God, Mac," he moaned and rested against her shoulder.

"Am I too heavy," he mumbled into her shoulder.

"Feels good."

He remained there for a few minutes and then turned them over so she could rest against him.

Their afternoon passed with them playing with the puppy and just enjoying each other.

"What would you like for dinner," he asked.

"Italian maybe?"

"Sauce should have been on a long time ago for Italian."

"Okay, how about chicken and vegetables?"

"A roasted chicken does sound good and we have one, so we don't have to go to the grocery store."

"Are you really not going to let me pay for the kitchen stuff?"

He knew this conversation hadn't been over. "My contribution."

"We need to talk about how this is going to work," she said.

"Like bills and stuff," he asked.

She nodded.

"Okay. Are you comfortable talking about our finances?"

"Yes, I'll tell you anything."

"Is there a mortgage on the brownstone?"

"No, there's none. There are the monthly bills and the taxes, that's all. What about the apartment?"

"The same, monthly bills and the taxes."

"Should we set up a house account and do bills out of that?"

"We could let my business manager take care of it," he suggested.

"I'm okay with that if the money comes from an account that we both contribute to, not just one of us."

"We both have money, Mac. I have no idea what your net worth is, and I don't care. I love you."

"Accessible cash? I've not checked but somewhere around twenty million. My father has someone who manages all of the holdings."

"On top of that, you've got property, investments and the like."

"Yes. My part is close to seventy-five million, total. Are you comfortable?"

He nodded. "Available cash, around ten million and total with investments and property, about thirty."

"Okay so we're agreed that we both contribute to a single account. Are you all right using your business manager?"

"Of course. I'm guessing your manager is in England?"

"She is."

"Okay, so we're agreed we'll use mine?"

"Yes," she said pulling her feet under herself.

"Are you cold," he asked, pulling her to himself.

"Chilly."

He pulled her onto his lap and held her close. She tucked her head against his shoulder.

"I love you, Will. Thanks for talking about this with me."

"I love you, Mac. We can always talk about anything, and I do mean anything."

They stayed curled up together until Saff woke. "I'll take her out," Mac said, getting off his lap.

While Mac was outside with the puppy he went into the kitchen and got out their dinner. He was washing vegetables when she came into the kitchen with Saffy.

"Need any help?"

"Sure," he said as Saff went over to her food bowl and barked. He smiled at her. "Are you hungry?" He stopped what he was doing with the vegetables and gave the puppy some kibble. "What," he asked Mac when he saw her watching him with a smile on her face.

She smiled and shook her head. "What can I help you with," she asked washing her hands.

"How about peeling some vegetables, that okay?"

"I can do that."

He was pleasantly surprised at her vegetable peeling skills. "You're good at that."

"Thanks. My grandmother's cook let me hang out in the kitchen."

"She did a good job. Did she let you help a lot?"

"Until my grandmother found out then I wasn't allowed in the kitchen."

He'd never considered that she wasn't allowed. "Do you want to learn?"

"I'd like to be able to do a bit more. I'm never going to have your skills, but I think it would be fun to learn some more skills."

"I'd love to teach you."

"Really?"

He nodded and she kissed him. "I'd like that," she said.

"We'll start whenever you'd like. Pick something you'd like to learn and we'll go from there, okay?"

"I'll think about it and come up with a list."

"You do like your lists," he teased.

"They've saved your ass many times," she gave it back to him.

"I know they have."

They went back to fixing dinner and put everything in the oven to cook.

"Wine," she asked.

"There's a very nice bottle in the refrigerator," he said.

She got the bottle out and went to the drawer where the corkscrew normally was located but it wasn't there. "Will."

"Sorry, I moved stuff around. There is an opener in that drawer there," he said pointing to the drawer in front of her. "I'll show you where everything is," he added.

"Does it make more sense now, the flow I mean?"

He nodded. "Thanks," she said and opened the drawer finding a new cork remover.

He was behind her and took the device in hand and said, "like this," showing her. He knew he was frustrating her. She leaned her head back against his shoulder and he placed his arms around her.

"It's okay," she said, turning in his arms, resting against him.

"It's your kitchen, Mac," he started and she stopped him.

"It's our kitchen. All you've got to do is to show me where things are and we're good, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you," he said and kissed her.

While they were waiting for dinner to cook he gave her a tour of the kitchen and the new items.

"It really is just like the kitchen at the apartment."

He shrugged and she smiled at him.

"Thank you, for everything."

"My pleasure," he said and kissed her, but pulled back when he felt a tug on his pants. "No," he said to the puppy. "Let's find you something appropriate to tug on," he said going to the freezer and pulled out a frozen washcloth.

"What's that," she asked.

"Frozen washcloth. She's chewing so much because her teeth are coming in and the frozen washcloth soothes her gums." The puppy was all about the washcloth when he gave it to her.

"She likes that, a lot."

"I might have soaked it in chicken stock."

She laughed and hugged him. He put the puppy on her bed with her washcloth.

"There are a few more in the freezer."

The timer went off letting them know dinner was ready. "Where are we eating," he asked.

"In front of the fire?"

He smiled at her, "perfect."

They ate in front of the fire, leaving the puppy in the kitchen with its washcloth. After dinner he took their plates to the kitchen and came to sit back beside her. She climbed onto his lap, straddling his hips and kissed him deeply. They made love in front of the fire and afterwards lay there holding one another.

Very quietly he whispered, "welcome home."

The End


End file.
